BRITAIN is treating troops like victims and it risks damaging the Army, the nation’s top soldier today warned.

General Sir Nick Carter said cherished patriotic affection had skewed into “sympathy” for our heroes.

Reuters

The Army is currently facing a manning shortfall and is around 4,000 soldiers short of the 82,000 needed

He warned the public not to let bitter slogs in Iraq and Afghanistan make the idea of putting “boots on the ground” in a foreign field go toxic. And he insisted our troops were still straining to “mix it” on the battlefield.

The Chief of the General Staff said: “I think there’s a risk that public support is very much based on sympathy and not necessarily empathy.

“If we wish to sustain our numbers and indeed the sort of attitude that you would want your Army to have, then I think it’s important the cursor swings more towards empathy than sympathy.”

Sir Nick issued his rally cry while visiting 800 troops based in Estonia on a Nato mission to deter neighbour Russia.